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Human shield Britons quit Baghdad
The Sunday Telegraph ^ | March 2, 2003 | Charlotte Edwardes

Posted on 03/01/2003 4:24:50 PM PST by MadIvan

Almost all of the first British "human shields" to go to Iraq were on their way home last night after deciding that their much-heralded task was now too dangerous.

Two red double-decker buses, which symbolised the hopes of anti-war activists when they arrived to a fanfare of publicity a fortnight ago, slipped quietly out of Baghdad on the long journey back to Britain.

Nine of the original 11 activists decided to pull out after being given an ultimatum by Iraqi officials to station themselves at targets likely to be bombed in a war or leave the country. Among those departing last night was 68-year-old Godfrey Meynell, a former High Sheriff of Derbyshire, who admitted that he was leaving out of "cold fear". He had been summoned, along with 200 other shields from all over the world, to a meeting at a Baghdad hotel yesterday morning.

Abdul Hashimi, the head of the Friendship, Peace and Solidarity organisation that is hosting the protesters, told the shields to choose between nine so-called "strategic sites" by today or quit the country.

The Iraqi warning follows frustration among Saddam Hussein's officials that only about 65 of the shields had so far agreed to take up positions at the oil refineries, power plants and water-purification sites selected by their hosts.

It heightened fears among some peace activists that they could be stationed at non-civilian sites. Mr Meynell and fellow protesters who moved into the power station in south Baghdad last weekend were dismayed to find it stood immediately next to an army base and the strategically crucial main road south to Basra. Iraqi officials said there was little point in guarding what they considered to be low-risk targets.

Iraq's decision to force the pace was welcomed by some of the 20 Britons remaining in Baghdad. "It's only fair," said Uzma Bashir, 32, a college lecturer who is one of the team leaders.

"We've come here as shields to defend sites and now the Iraqis are asking us to make our choice."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: baghdadorbust; bravelyranaway; chickens; coldfear; deployorleave; humanshields; iraq; makeyourtime; oncetwicetraitors; saddam; saddamszeros; setusupthebomb; targets; toodangerous; war; welcometoclubsaddam; youwantustodowhat
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To: savedbygrace
We eagerly await the coming news conference in which these mental giants claim victory.

...which in leftist circles must always use the phrase "raised awareness." As in "Well, we totally messed up, but at least we raised awarnes of this important issue."

81 posted on 03/01/2003 5:14:52 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: MadIvan
Looks like they showed the strength of their convictions.
82 posted on 03/01/2003 5:16:05 PM PST by Savage Beast
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To: friendly
HAW!!!
83 posted on 03/01/2003 5:16:11 PM PST by Doc On The Bay
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Somehow I'm reminded of that song from "The Music Man" that Shirley Jones sang, "A Sadder Budweiser Girl".
84 posted on 03/01/2003 5:16:19 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
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To: MadIvan
Chortle. Giggle. ROFL!

Perfect response, Mad!

85 posted on 03/01/2003 5:16:32 PM PST by Budge (God Bless FReepers!)
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To: MadIvan
Funniest post of the day.
86 posted on 03/01/2003 5:16:35 PM PST by The Great Satan (Revenge, Terror and Extortion: A Guide for the Perplexed)
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To: Deb
The guy who ripped up his US passport was detained in three countries on the bus going to Baghdad, don't know if he ever got there..
87 posted on 03/01/2003 5:16:47 PM PST by ewing
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To: MadIvan

ROBIN: You tit! I soiled my armour I was so scared!

88 posted on 03/01/2003 5:17:08 PM PST by Mr. Mulliner
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To: Itis?itis
Here's another funny one.
89 posted on 03/01/2003 5:18:31 PM PST by swheats
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To: MadIvan
They're just war tourists. Sight-seers who come to see Iraq and stay in fancy hotels and think highly of themselves. They're absolute scum.
90 posted on 03/01/2003 5:18:33 PM PST by xm177e2 (smile) :-)
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To: MadIvan
I would like to sign up to be a human shield for the United States of America. I will agree to be deployed to live in a strategic place so that if the Islamo-fascists attack, there will be civilian casualties. I am currently shielding San Diego, but I would be happy to protect New Orleans, San Francisco, Miami, DC or NY if required.

Actually, in this war, we are all human shields.

91 posted on 03/01/2003 5:18:42 PM PST by Defiant
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To: pfflier
Damn, now they're getting back into the gene pool.

Like a Baby Ruth bar...

92 posted on 03/01/2003 5:20:08 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
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To: MadIvan
The spin begins.

The liberal excuse now going around is that the shields were "naive". Not stupid, not ignorant, not aiders and abettors of the the bloody tyrant, Saddam.....but, "naive".

Never mind that most of them are highly educated and held or hold responsible jobs (like the former High Sheriff of Nuttingham, er, Derbyshire). Most are of an age not exactly in the teeny-bopper category.

These ADULTS knew exactly what they were doing when they got into this farce. Some of them are turning tail now because they DO know exactly what they're doing. They are NOT naifs.

Cold fear trumps warm fuzzy feelings every time.

Leni

93 posted on 03/01/2003 5:23:52 PM PST by MinuteGal (THIS JUST IN ! Astonishing fare reduction for FReeps Ahoy Cruise! Check it out, pronto!)
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To: MadIvan
As I said a few days ago: When you have people this dumb, I don't understand how their brains manage to issue commands for their hearts to beat, their lungs to inhale and exhale, etc. It's obvious that some of these morons went there really believing they needed to "shield" orphanages and hospitals from western attack. That's utterly incredible that someone's world view could be so far removed from reality.

MM

94 posted on 03/01/2003 5:24:50 PM PST by MississippiMan
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To: MadIvan
Too dangerous means that they actually did realize that america and the UK would try to avoid casualties in civilian areas, which kind of negates their argument in the first place.

It is a big old joke. Secondly, the term "human shields" was popularized by Hussein himself, for the use of hostages to be taken at force to his military facilities after he has already invaded Kuwait in 1990.

These so-called peace activists are not in Iraq protesting anything dear Saddam does, just what Uncle Sam does. It shows a twisting of values that exposes these people for who they are.

95 posted on 03/01/2003 5:29:22 PM PST by dogbyte12
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To: MadIvan
What did they expect? Were they planning on booking into the Hyatt with the press?
96 posted on 03/01/2003 5:29:37 PM PST by Lady Jag (Googolplex Star Thinker of the Seventh Galaxy of Light and Ingenuity)
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To: MadIvan
A bit of fantasy based on fact 'ere. The memory blends and blurs as the poet Rupert Brooke quoth. He was talking of "Grantchester"- ah Grantchester. Well the memory blends and blurs again.

A large red London bus edges its way along an East-end Street. The conductor, after more passengers board- a tired shabbily dressed lot, crisply says "Hold very, very tight". Away the bus goes. They look out at the carnage. They wonder who got it from 'Itlers Luftwaffe in the night. They have to get to work- or else, no bloomin' excuses. "Don'tcha know there's a war on?"

They finish their days work and then, some of them have to do a spot of firewatching. It is 1940.

Meynell, sheriff sir, where is your tradition? You have none. You do not have a Just Cause . That is why you, in the idiom, chickened out.

97 posted on 03/01/2003 5:31:14 PM PST by Peter Libra
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To: MadIvan
Stupid is as stupid does

"Thank you all for coming here to help me defend my genocidal regime...Now if you will kindly sit over by the target area, I`m sure the F-16`s will be here shortly to bomb you to smithereens."

98 posted on 03/01/2003 5:31:41 PM PST by metalboy
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To: MadIvan
Ivan: There's gotta be a reality TV show in here somewhere.
99 posted on 03/01/2003 5:33:19 PM PST by johniegrad
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To: MadIvan
Human shield Britons quit Baghdad

Ah, shucks. I was hoping the human shields would "ride out" on the first bomb we dropped. Heck!

100 posted on 03/01/2003 5:39:14 PM PST by swampfox98
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